Regional council has approved funding for the Halifax Central Library, but the fate of another cultural building still hangs in limbo. The “Final Report on Future Use of the Khyber Building” (halifax.ca/crca/FeasibilityReport.html) was released a couple of weeks ago, with updated observations from the public consultation sessions that happened late last year. The majority of the report remains the same—-read an analysis of the operating scenarios here—-but consulting firm TCI Management Ltd. updated pages of photos, as per the request of Khyber ICA staff. Gone are pages of dusty staircases, graffiti and dark storage rooms, replaced with photos of art exhibitions and people actually working in the space. This might seem like a petty consideration, but the next stage for the Khyber is a staff report to council, and although TCI recommends keeping the building as a cultural centre, it’s going to be a fight to justify the investment. If Dartmouth councillor Gloria McCluskey can vote against a library because of an auditorium and a cafeteria...
Perhaps this fight will be addressed April 1, 8pm at this panel discussion “revisiting the motives, challenges and consequences of cultural programming at 1588 Barrington” with those who know best: present and former directors and board members. Plus, it’s a chance to check out the Khyber archives poster show, which is a fun walk down music, art and old-school Mac font lane.